Telescoping glider

ABSTRACT

A toy is provided including a gliding portion and a launching portion configured to releasably connect with the gliding portion. In some embodiments, the gliding portion includes a gliding body and a wing structure having a compact configuration in which the wings are substantially parallel to the body, and a flight configuration in which the wings extend from the body. In some embodiments, the launching portion includes telescoping sections configured to extend the length of the launching portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/688,275 entitled “TELESCOPING GLIDER,” filed Jun. 6, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Many children and young adults enjoy toys that may be propelled, thrown, or otherwise simulate flying or movement along a play surface. The present disclosure relates generally to projectiles, such as glider-like toys, and mechanisms for launching such toys. Examples of gliders and mechanisms to propel gliders and other toys are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,705,148, 2,810,985, 3,037,320, 3,140,560, 3,264,777, 3,797,472, 3,841,292, 3,898,765, 3,943,657, 3,949,519, 3,968,947, 3,977,120, 4,064,647, 4,106,232, 4,125,960, 4,133,500, 4,135,718, 4,159,087, 4,170,084, 4,209,937, 4,329,808, 4,411,249, 4,712,510, 4,794,905, 4,863,413, 4,915,664; 5,129,650, 5,423,706, 5,522,372, 5,556,319, 5,624,295, 5,725,410, 5,733,164, 5,908,341, 5,919,079, 5,928,053, 6,076,829, 6,102,765, 6,105,903, 6,343,969, 6,361,393, 6,443,793, 6,450,852 and United Kingdom Patent No. GB2038645, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety and for all purposes.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates generally to projectile toys and launching mechanisms, and more particularly to glider-like toys that are launched into the air using a telescoping device. The gliding portion of the toy may resemble an action figure and may have features configured to be activated upon launching, such as a movable wing structure.

The advantages of the disclosed toy may be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary toy including a gliding portion and a launching portion configured to propel the glider.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary gliding portion coupled to a launching portion.

FIGS. 3A-C illustrate front, side, and rear views, respectively, of an exemplary gliding portion coupled to a launching portion.

FIGS. 4A-B illustrate movement of wings, relative to a body of an exemplary gliding portion, between a compact configuration in which the wings are substantially parallel to the body and a flight configuration in which the wings extend from the body upon disconnection of the gliding portion from the launching portion.

FIG. 5 is a side view of an exemplary gliding portion and launching portion.

FIG. 6 is a top view of an exemplary gliding portion including a wing structure and a body including an action figure. The exemplary wing structure includes a pair of primary wings and a secondary wing.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the gliding portion of FIG. 6 including a receiving portion configured to connect with a launching portion.

FIG. 8 is a partial side view of a section of a launching portion configured to insert into the receiving portion of FIG. 7.

FIGS. 9A-C illustrate an exploded view of the gliding portion of FIG. 5, including (A) a body and a wing structure, (B) a coupling configured to connect a pair of wings to the body, and (C) a fastener configured to connect the various components of the gliding portion.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the body of the gliding portion of FIG. 5 with the action figure removed. The body includes support arms for the wing structure, shown in a flight configuration.

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the body and action figure of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 illustrates a front view of the body of the gliding portion of FIG. 10 with the action figure removed and the support arms in a compact configuration.

FIG. 13 illustrates a rear view the body of the gliding portion of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE

The disclosed toy 10 is shown in FIG. 1 and configured to propel a section of the toy in a glider-like fashion. Toy 10 may include a projectile or gliding portion, 12 or other suitable structure configured to be propelled through the air or along a playing surface. For example, the projectile may take the form of a vehicle, such as a car, boat, or airplane, or may take the form of an animal, building, fictitious character, and the like.

Toy 10 may include a launching portion 14 configured to launch or otherwise propel the projectile. The launching portion may releasably connect to the gliding portion until a predetermined force is applied to the launching portion to disconnect the projectile or gliding portion from the launching portion.

Launching portion 14, such as a baton as depicted in FIG. 1, may have telescoping sections 16. Telescoping sections 16 may extend to provide additional driving force to the gliding portion and/or urge the gliding portion along a trajectory 18. For example, when a predetermined force is applied to the launching portion, such as by swinging the launching portion similar to the manner in which a bat is swung, the telescoping sections may extend to provide additional driving force to propel the gliding portion and/or guide the direction in which the gliding portion is urged. Consequently, the gliding portion may be released and urged along trajectory 18 once sufficient force acts on the toy to disconnect the gliding portion from the launching portion.

In some versions of toy 10, the launching portion may be configured to activate a feature of the gliding portion upon release of the gliding portion from the launching portion. The toy feature may include movement of a section of gliding portion 12, such as a movable wing structure, activation of one or more light or sound features, and the like. For example, when the gliding portion is released, the gliding portion may produce engine sounds for toys representing airplanes, animal sounds for toys representing birds or other flying animals, weapons or eyes of the toy may light up, etc. Toy 10 may include one or more sensors to automatically trigger activation of the toy features upon release of the gliding portion from the launching portion.

A holster 20 may be provided to assist a user in carrying toy 10. For example, holster 20 may be configured to carry or otherwise support gliding portion 12 and/or launching portion 14. In some configurations, the holster may be configured to couple to an existing article of clothing, such as a belt. In other configurations, the holster may include a strap, which may include a hook-and-loop closure, to secure the holster around a user's leg, arm, or waist.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary gliding portion 12 coupled to an exemplary launching portion 14. As shown, launching portion 14 may include a storage compartment 22 for storing accessories 24. The accessories may include a propeller for the gliding portion, as shown in FIG. 1, or other components suitable for use with the toy. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the propeller structure may begin to turn as the launching portion is swung so that the propeller is moving when the gliding portion is released from the launching portion. In some configurations, the propeller structure may be included solely for aesthetic reasons to appear to be powering the gliding portion as it glides through the air. Accessories 24 may include other toy components, or may include power components, such as batteries to power toy features and other accessories.

Gliding portion 12 may include a gliding body 26 configured to support a wing structure 28. As shown, the exemplary gliding portion takes the form of a winged superhero, FIGS. 3A-C illustrate front, side, and rear views, respectively, of an exemplary gliding portion 12 and launching portion 14. Gliding portion 12 may include an action FIG. 30 or may take the form of a vehicle, an animal, or any other suitable object that may be configured to move through the air or along a play surface. The wing structure may be open or extended at all times, or the wing structure may be configured to expand once the glider is released from the launching member.

As illustrated in FIG. 4A, coupling of the launching portion to the gliding portion may move one or more sections of the wing structure to a compact configuration for launching of the gliding portion. Once launched, one or more sections of the wing structure may be biased to a flight configuration in which the wing structure is fully expanded, as illustrated in FIG. 4B.

The gliding body, or one or more sections thereof, may be detachable from the wing structure. In some configurations, the wing structure may be configured to be removed from the body to be played with as a traditional glider, similar to that of a paper airplane, or to be attached to other toy bodies to provide additional play options. In other configurations, action FIG. 30 may be detachable from the gliding portion, so that it may be played with separately. For example, by facilitating game play in which a figure may fly into a scenario and then be transformed into a conventional action figure.

The gliding portion may be comprised of any suitable light-weight material or combination of materials, including, but not limited to, plastics, foams, and various textiles. For example, the toy may be fabricated from any suitable material, or combination of materials, such as plastic, foamed plastic, wood, cardboard, pressed paper, metal, or the like. A suitable material may be selected to provide a desirable combination of weight, strength, durability, cost, manufacturability, appearance, safety, and the like. Suitable plastics may include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, or the like. Suitable foamed plastics may include expanded or extruded polystyrene, or the like.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate side, top, and bottom views, respectively, of exemplary gliding portions including a wing structure 28 coupled to a body 26 that includes an action FIG. 30.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, launching portion 14 may be coupled to the gliding portion. For example, gliding body 26 may include a receiving portion 32 configured to couple with launching portion 14. The receiving portion may be configured to receive an extension of the launching portion.

In the exemplary toy configuration of FIG. 7, the receiving portion includes a channel 34 into which a section, such as an extension, of the launching portion may be inserted. Channel 34 may include a guide 36, such as a rail, configured to align the launching portion within the channel. In such a configuration, launching portion 14 may include a groove 38, as shown in FIG. 8, configured to interact with guide 36 to align the launching portion to the gliding body in a particular orientation. Guide 36 and groove 38 may be straight to maintain the gliding portion in a given orientation or may be spiraled to rotate the gliding portion as it is released from the launching portion. As previously discussed, the launching portion may be configured to activate a feature of the gliding portion upon release of the connection with the gliding body.

A variety of mechanisms may be used to releasably couple the gliding portion to the launching portion. These mechanisms may include springs, magnets, or any other suitable mechanism configured to retain the gliding portion substantially securely, and then release the gliding portion when the launching portion is moved in a particular manner, such as by swinging the launching portion and/or quickly stopping such motion to trigger release of the gliding portion. For example, guide 36 may include an enlarged end 40, as shown in FIG. 7, that removably couples with groove 38 to temporarily secure the launching portion within the receiving portion of the gliding portion.

FIGS. 5-7, and 9 illustrate components of an exemplary gliding portion 12. As shown, coupled to body 26 may be a wing structure 28, which may include one or more wings 42 that may be configured to move. The wings may include a pair of primary wings 44 mounted to support arms 46 by fasteners 48.

Fasteners 4 may be any suitable fastener, including, but not limited to, snaps, screws, glues, and the like. As illustrated in FIG. 9C, fasteners 48 may be plastic components configured to be press fit through apertures in first and second components. The fasteners may include a pair of legs that may be pressed toward each other to insert the legs into an aperture.

As previously noted with respect to FIGS. 4A and B, one or more sections of wing structure 28 may be movable between a compact configuration for launching of the gliding portion and a flight configuration for movement of the gliding portion through the air or along a playing surface. For example, primary wings 44 may have a compact configuration in which the wings are substantially parallel to body 26, and a flight configuration in which the primary wings extend from the body.

A secondary wing 50, as shown in FIGS. 5-7, and 9, may be mounted adjacent the primary wings and secured to body 26 or another component of gliding portion 12 by one or more fasteners 48. The primary wings may be configured to move relative to the secondary wing.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the secondary wing may include a slot 52 to receive a fin 54. Fin 54 may assist in the aerodynamics of wing structure 28, support one or more features, or be aesthetic in nature.

FIGS. 9A and B show a coupling 56 configured to move relative to body 26. The coupling may be configured to transition the wing structure between the compact configuration and the flight configuration. The launching portion may form a releasable connection with the coupling such that connection of the launching portion with the gliding portion urges movement of the coupling, and thereby transition between wing structure configurations.

The pair of wings 44 may be joined to coupling 56 by support arms 46. The support arms may be configured to rotate relative to the coupling to expand the wings form the body. For example, the support arms may rotatably connect the primary wings to the coupling, which is secured to the body. The coupling may be configured to move the primary wings relative to the secondary wing. As shown in FIGS. 10-13, when the coupling is translated within the body support arms 46 rotate relative to the body.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the front and rear views, respectively, of body 26 with action FIG. 30 removed. The action figure may include apertures 58, shown in FIG. 11, configured to couple and align the figure with posts 60, shown in FIG. 10, extending from the body 26. A foot plate 62 may extend from the body to further support the action figure. The action figure may be secured to the body, such as at the foot plate by glue, tape, or other suitable adhesives.

As shown in the rear view of FIG. 11, support arms 46 are coupled together by coupling 56. When launching portion 14 is inserted into receiving portion 32, the coupling is urged away from the receiving portion and the support arms are rotated inwards to a position substantially parallel to the receiving portion, such as the compact configurations shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The matching geometry between groove 38 in the launching portion and the guide in the receiving portion maintains the wing structure in this compact configuration until the glider is released from the launching portion.

In some versions of toy 10, the coupling is biased to urge and/or maintain the wing structure, or a section of the wing structure such as the primary wings, in the flight configuration. For example, once the gliding portion is released from the launching portion, a biasing member 64 may urge the coupling towards the receiving portion, thereby moving support arms 46 away from the receiving portion so that the wing structure is in a flight configuration. As illustrated in FIGS. 9B, 10 and 12, biasing member 64 may be a coil spring 66 that connects coupling 56 to gliding body 26 by looping over a first protrusion 68 on the coupling and a second protrusion 70 on the body.

Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing operational principles and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances. The subject matter of the present invention includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through presentation of claims in a subsequent application. 

1. A toy comprising: a gliding portion having a body and a wing structure; where the wing structure includes a pair of wings having a compact configuration in which the wings are substantially parallel to the body, and a flight configuration in which the wings extend from the body; and a coupling configured to transition the wing structure between the compact configuration and the flight configuration; and a launching portion adapted to launch the gliding portion; where the launching portion includes a releasable connection with the gliding body and a releasable connection with the coupling.
 2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the launching portion includes telescoping sections configured to extend upon application of a predetermined force to the launching portion.
 3. The toy of claim 1, wherein the launching portion is configured to activate a feature of the gliding portion upon release of the connection with the gliding body.
 4. The toy of claim 3, wherein the feature includes at least one of a light and a sound.
 5. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a holster configured to support at least one of the gliding portion and the launching portion.
 6. The toy of claim 1, wherein the gliding body is detachable from the wing structure.
 7. The toy of claim 1, wherein the coupling is biased to maintain the wing structure in the flight configuration.
 8. The toy of claim 7, wherein the coupling is connected to the gliding body by a spring.
 9. The toy of claim 1, wherein the gliding body includes a receiving portion configured to receive an extension of the launching portion.
 10. The toy of claim 9, wherein the receiving portion includes a guide configured to align with a groove in the launching portion.
 11. A toy comprising: a projectile having one or more features and a channel including a guide with an enlarged portion; and a telescoping launching portion configured to releasably connect to the projectile and activate the one or more features upon release of the projectile from the launching portion; where the launching portion is configured to insert into the channel in alignment with the guide and engage with the enlarged portion of the guide, thereby releasably connecting the launching portion to the projectile.
 12. The toy of claim 11, wherein the launching portion includes a storage compartment.
 13. The toy of claim 11, wherein the one or more features include a movable wing structure.
 14. The toy of claim 13, wherein the wing structure includes a coupling and a pair of wings joined to the coupling by support arms.
 15. The toy of claim 14, wherein the support arms are configured to rotate relative to the coupling.
 16. A gliding toy comprising: a body representing an action figure; and a wing structure mounted to the body and including primary wings and a secondary wing, wherein the primary wings are configured to move relative to the secondary wing.
 17. The gliding toy of claim 16, wherein support arms rotatably connect the primary wings to a coupling secured to the body, and further wherein the coupling is configured to move the primary wings relative to the secondary wing.
 18. The gliding toy of claim 17, wherein the coupling is configured to move the primary wings between a compact configuration in which the wings are substantially parallel to the body, and a flight configuration in which the wings extend from the body.
 19. The gliding toy of claim 18, wherein the coupling is biased to maintain the primary wings in the flight configuration.
 20. The gliding toy of claim 16, further comprising a launching portion adapted to releasably connect with the body and including telescoping sections configured to extend and propel the body when a predetermined force is applied to the launching portion. 